This is the story of the big trip I took with my dear friend and Dutch native, Anneke, in the summer of 1999, final summer of the 20th century, dawning of a new day for man, for Europe, for the world, etcetera, etcetera. But for our beloved cat, Abalone, whom we left in the lurch, in the care of our dear friends Frank and Mona, where he was forced to fend for himself against the other sub-human cats...he, our prince kitty, used to having the whole house as his personal domain, coddled and spoiled in the manner of proper royalty...alas, for Abalone it was a hard summer of sacrifice. Here he is pictured in front of our lovely little mountain cabin in Idyllwild, perhaps somehow, by some extraordinary cat sense already aware that his cozy little paradise was about to come to a screeching halt, and we, his providers, caretakers, and trusted servants, were about to leave him to an uncertain fate.

On a lighter note, here's Anneke, wearing her convenient fold-up travel hat, ready for a fun-packed trip back to the Fatherland, Holland -- and beyond -- to lands even she, a native European, had never been.

And here is Ricky, that's me, standing before the great discount Martinair plane, daring to travel outside of his own safe little (somewhat ignorant and puritanical) country to places unknown...

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